Protests planned for Brisbane as southeast QLD enters third day of lockdown

Fifteen people have been arrested following an anti-lockdown protest in Brisbane’s New Farm Park, with one protester telling police she paid their wages. It came after police swamped the CBD to cut off a planned gathering.

Activists behind a planned anti-lockdown protest in the Brisbane CBD have been slammed for wasting police resources.

Dozens of police officers descended on the CBD on Monday morning after plans for the protest circulated on social media, before another gathering took place at New Farm Park.

Police have arrested 15 people after the protest, 13 of whom were charged with contravening a direction and seven charged with obstructing police.

Others were charged for breach of bail and drug possession offences.

Eleven people have been released on bail with three remaining in custody after refusing to provide any particulars.

There were 21 Public Infringement Notices to people for allegedly breaching restrictions as well as 10 other infringements and 11 Move On Directions.

Eight masks were handed out.

Protesters could be heard chanting “I decline your offer of contract” before two men were taken into a waiting police van.

A large police presence remained at the park with officers stopping to speak with everyone to question why they were at the park and if they were within the 10km radius of their homes.

COVID Lockdown protester is arrested in New Farm Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

Daniela Milos, the owner of Vanity House at Newstead, was among those seen not wearing a mask and being combative with police.

Ms Milos has been outspoken on social media about her opposition to the Covid vaccine and last month police swooped on her salon after she threatened to defy lockdown restrictions.

At New Farm Park today she and a friend were seen arguing with police, who asked them to move on within the hour.

The pair could be heard telling officers “we do actually pay your salaries”.

Police speak to unmasked women during a protest in Brisbane's New Farm Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski slammed organisers for wasting police resources.

“It is quite regrettable we have to be out policing a protest this morning when we’re in lockdown,” he said.

Police patrol the Brisbane CBD during lockdown. Picture: Liam Kidston

“My message to those people tying up hundreds of police when they can be out doing other things is go home, now is not the time to protest, put the interests of the community ahead of your own views.”

Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski was also critical of those at the weekend who flouted lockdown rules.

Queensland police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski is urging organisers to postpone an anti-lockdown protest planned for Brisbane on Monday. Picture: John Gass

On Sunday, police were required to hand out 205 masks.

“Carry your mask with you and wear it when you should,” Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said.

Police also responded to 116 calls for service where members of the community were concerned about people’s behaviour.

COVID lockdown protesters congregate in New Farm Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

“That stretches our resources so we need you to be doing the right thing,” Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said.

In the past 24 hours, 29 infringement notices were issued, 18 of which were for people out of lockdown when they had no valid reason.

Police in the Brisbane CBD after activists announced plans for a anti-lockdown protest. Picture: Liam Kidston

Two breaches of restrictions occurred within homes, one person refusing to wear a mask, two border breaches, and three breaches of public health directions, including two people being arrested.

“What is most disappointing is in every single case people were given the opportunity to comply and people chose not to, so we’re left with no option but to take action,” Deputy Commissioner Gollschewski said.

“For those who think what they want to do is more important than the broader community, wake up to yourself.”

The Brisbane protest, which was scheduled for 10am Monday, has been advertised online as a “peaceful protest in accordance with human rights”.

Organisers did not reveal the exact location of the event.

Anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne. A similar event has been proposed for Brisbane on Monday morning. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Meanwhile, police have turned around more than 30 semi-trailers at the border and arrested a truckie in a weekend blitz on heavy vehicles.

Thirty-one trucks were stopped and refused entry on the southern Gold Coast as police clamped down in the lockdown weekend blitz.

They were among 75 vehicles turned back at the Coast’s five border checkpoints.

Gold Coast police acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said a 51-year-old truckie who did not have the correct entry pass was intercepted and arrested on outstanding warrants.

Police last week began diverting all heavy vehicles off the M1 and onto the Gold Coast Highway to make it safer for those carrying the wrong passes to be turned around.

Police speak to unmasked women wearing “end lockdowns” caps in Brisbane's New Farm Park. Picture: Liam Kidston

With no exposure sites on the Gold Coast identified in more than a week, many locals were seen out and about on beaches over the weekend not wearing masks.

Supt Wildman said police were still practising ‘compassion, communication and compliance’ before issuing fines but warned that officers would begin patrolling beaches in ATVs to ensure people were doing the right thing.

“There are still a lot of unknown quantities around this outbreak and we just don’t know how the Gold Coast plays into this yet,’ he told the ABC.